build

To build something is to make it. Things we build also increase to a larger size.

• Oscar builds houses. He’s a carpenter. (present tense)
• Last year he built the cabinets for his kitchen. (past tense)
• The cabinets were built in just a few weeks. (past tense, passive voice)
• Oscar has built many different kinds of things over his long career. (present perfect tense)
• He’s thinking about building his own house next year. (gerund)

Oscar is a carpenter.

• A builder builds houses and other types of buildings.
• A person who wants to make a lot of money builds a business.
• Children like to build things with toys.
• Weightlifters build their muscles by lifting weights.
• People who are in love build a relationship.
• Members of a community build strong, safe neighborhoods.
• You can build your vocabulary by reading and writing in English.

The word "build" can also be a noun. In this case, "build" refers to a person’s body shape.

• That woman has a nice build.
• A man who works out regularly can develop a strong build.
• a football player usually has a good build.

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This page was published on April 2, 2017.